In July of 2021, Justin moved from Albuquerque to Omaha to begin dental school at Creighton University. By month one, he had found Lifegate to be his new church home. Meanwhile, Chelsea was in the thick of her pharmacy rotations without a clue as to where Nebraska was located on the map. Fast-forward three years, and Chelsea could now locate Nebraska after accepting a job offer at the UNMC College of Pharmacy. She moved to Omaha in July of 2024, and, like Justin, she also found Lifegate Midtown to be her church home after just one visit on August 4th. That day, she met a couple named Bill and Sharon, and an instant connection was made. Meanwhile, Justin was back home in Albuquerque, recovering from an emergency appendix removal following a summer excursion with his dental comrades in the Dominican Republic. Chelsea attended Lifegate Midtown again on August 11th, and Bill and Sharon began introducing her to other church members who could help her find a small community of friends—perhaps one like her small group from Indianapolis. Justin already belonged to a young adult small group at Lifegate Midtown, led faithfully by Jo and her husband Jerry. This also happened to be the day Justin flew back to Omaha to begin his final year of dental school. The following Sunday (August 18th) was Chelsea's third week at Lifegate Midtown, and Justin's first after returning to Omaha. It was just another ordinary day for Justin and Chelsea...until it wasn't. After service, Bill and Sharon introduced Chelsea to a new friend named Kyra. Kyra thought Chelsea should meet some individuals in Jo and Jerry’s small group. After briefly scanning the sanctuary, she recognized a young man from the group standing near the altar at the front of the church. Kyra walked Chelsea down the aisle and introduced Justin to the young woman who would change his life forever: his future wife. For Justin, it was love at first sight. For Chelsea, it was... just a new friend? In the weeks to come, Justin and Chelsea began building upon their new acquaintance. Chelsea joined Jo and Jerry's small group, where she also met one of Justin's dental school peers and friends, Maryael. Maryael and Justin were in the thick of studying for their dental board exam, and Chelsea was also studying for her specialty pharmacy certification (which was required for her new job). Looking to make a new friend of her own, Chelsea asked Maryael one night after group if she wanted to study together that Saturday at The Mill, a popular local coffee shop and study spot. Maryael was delighted at the idea, and they made plans to meet. Saturday morning came, and Justin had also invited his friend Jacob to join him at The Mill. After a lengthy and completely legitimate conversation, Justin bid farewell to Jacob and, on his way out, happened to notice Chelsea and Maryael chatting gleefully at a small table. Chelsea innocently believed that Justin had no ulterior motive to this interaction, and kindly offered for him to join. Maryael, however, grinned smugly, for she and Justin had secretly planned the whole thing. And so the ultimate study trio was formed. They met daily to chat, sip on coffee (or tea for Justin), and occasionally study. Every so often, Maryael would make other plans, leaving Chelsea and Justin to begin forming what would become the ultimate friendship. In the coming weeks, they would expand past the coffee shop to the ice cream shop, zoo, and pumpkin patch, where the sparks really began to fly. Thanks to their cupid Maryael, the future bride and groom became convinced that this love was worth hanging on to. And because of the Lord (their other cupid), they had met at the perfect time, perfect place, and in the perfect circumstance. The rest is, as they call it, history :) Our heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your willingness to be used by God in bringing this union together. So why Omaha? Because for this couple, love was found and shall be celebrated at this altar.